Which to use
“alas” is an intj and “aways” is an adverb - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.
- #11,647
- “alas” frequency rank
- #46,322
- “aways” frequency rank
- 57969
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | alas | aways |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Used to express sorrow, regret, compassion, grief, resignation, or disappointment. | Alternative form of a ways. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set alas and aways apart are highlighted. They share 3 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
Our dataset has no pronunciation recorded for both members, so the reliable separator here is grammatical: alas is anintj and awaysanadverb. On the page they differ by 1 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 57969, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
alas is recorded at frequency rank #11,647, classified as anintj, pronounced /əˈlæs/. aways is at rank #46,322, tagged as anadv.
Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.
With a confusion score of 57969, this pair ranks #115,706 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs - among the most confusable pairs.
Orthographic DNA of alas vs aways
Shared letters: as. Private to "alas": l. Private to "aways": wy.
"alas" · 4 letters · shape VCVC · "aways" · 5 letters · shape VCVVC
Known mistypes of this pair
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "alas" and "aways" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "alas" or "aways"?
Remembering alas vs aways
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Check the role first: if you need an intj, it's “alas”; for an adverb, it's “aways”.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “alas” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable